Does your company’s travel risk management programme consider the unique needs of lone workers?
From missed flights to power outages, when business trips are disrupted, lone workers may feel especially vulnerable. Without in-person support from colleagues, it’s more important than ever that solo business travellers know where – and who – to turn to for help.
A comprehensive lone worker safety policy blends targeted pre-trip risk assessments with clear communication protocols, using the latest travel safety technology to keep teams connected at a distance.
In this guide, we’ll equip business travellers and their management teams with the tools and strategies needed to fulfil all duty of care requirements from start to finish.
In business travel, a lone worker would be any employee travelling and working on their own for business-related purposes. This could be a worker travelling alone to attend a conference, meeting, or training session. A contractor working remotely would also qualify as a lone worker when team members aren’t onsite.
When travelling alone for business, workers don’t have the regular managerial supervision and colleague support that they would back home. Long distances and different time zones have an impact on communication without clear support networks in place. At the same time, language barriers at the destination can make it harder to seek immediate help.
Apart from these communication issues, lone worker safety risks often involve different overseas standards when it comes to on-the-job equipment and work techniques. And for contractors working in remote locations, there may be environmental hazards including severe weather conditions or dangerous wildlife.
Below, we’ll outline a few other types of risks to be aware of when planning trips for individual business travellers.
Travelling alone to regions with the potential for political unrest puts employees in a vulnerable position. At the most basic level, protests and strikes cause travel disruption, while civil conflicts create dangerous on-the-ground situations.
Researching the potential for political conflict is an essential part of any pre-trip risk assessment. But during the trip, you could also use real-time lone worker monitoring solutions to follow employee movements. That way, your company can provide swift assistance to travelling individuals in the event of disorder or disruption.
Differences in hygiene standards can lead to stomach upset, while endemic diseases might require pre-travel vaccinations. Even with plenty of planning it’s possible for business travellers to catch a cold or flu while travelling, without colleagues to help shoulder the workload. It’s important to be aware of local healthcare services and hospitals at the destination so that travellers know where to seek help when they need it.
In addition to these physical risks, without a social outlet lone workers could also be prone to feelings of loneliness, business travel anxiety, and stress. To mitigate these risks, your company’s travel policies should include well-being practices, scheduled relaxation, and regular check-ins.
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Crime rates will vary widely across global destinations. When comparing accommodation options, consider the impact of lone worker safety threats including theft and assault.
The best hotels for business travel will be in safe, well-trafficked neighbourhoods with features like 24-hour front desk services and security cameras in all common areas. Make sure you book accommodation through trusted platforms like Booking.com for Business that let you compare security features for each hotel.
Examples of these key safety and security features could include:
You’ll see this listed alongside other hotel room amenities, for a quick comparison.
While safety awareness is important for any business traveller, some lone workers experience heightened feelings of risk. This includes female and LGBTQ+ individuals, who may face discrimination in certain parts of the world.
In a recent survey of international business travellers, 67% believed that it is less safe for women to travel for work than men, and 25% of women reported feeling uncomfortable travelling to countries without strong women’s rights protections.
Over half (52%) similarly felt that business travel was less safe for LGBTQ+ individuals, with 15% having witnessed or experienced harassment during work trips.
Identifying and combating these risks takes additional research into cultural attitudes at each destination, reflecting on how factors like identity and gender can influence lone traveller safety. Strategies might include scheduling regular check-ins and minimising after-dark activities.
Companies carry a legal and moral responsibility to take care of employees while travelling, known as the duty of care. Duty of care extends to identifying and mitigating any potential risks, security threats, or potential for travel disruptions and taking any necessary steps to mitigate them.
When it comes specifically to lone workers, there may be additional legal responsibilities to consider.
For example, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines lone workers as any ‘people who work by themselves without close or direct supervision,’ which would include solo business travellers.
While in the UK employers must follow the standards of the Health and Safety at Work Act, when lone workers are placed overseas, they’d be bound to the health and safety requirements of the destination country.
As legal standards vary widely between countries, a comprehensive duty of care policy is important. This helps your company meet a broader set of safety standards including risk assessments and suitable mitigations.
For global guidance, you can also look at the International Labour Organization’s standards for lone workers, which state that employers should:
The ISO 31030 guidance creates an international standard for business travel risk mitigation, covering topics such as identifying hazards and threats, and developing a suitable risk management programme accordingly.
In a recent International SOS and Booking.com for Business joint webinar, ‘Business Travel Safety: What every company needs to know’, the ISO 31030 standard is described as a ‘Duty of Loyalty.’ This means that organisations must act in the best interest of trip participants, going beyond legal compliance or duty of care to support health, well-being and human rights.
Most risks to lone travellers are minor, but dealing with a stolen phone or case of food poisoning can feel extra stressful without colleagues there to lend a helping hand. And small incidents can lead to lost time and productivity, on top of this stress for solo business travellers. To help offset these risks, here are a few strategies for protecting lone workers.
Any business trip should start with a detailed risk assessment, but this is particularly important for lone workers. As international travel risks are constantly in flux due to political and economic changes, consider assessment an ongoing process. Identify all hazards lone business travellers may encounter at each destination. You’ll need to look at the latest government travel advice, as well as cultural differences that may impact your team.
Once you’ve performed a risk assessment, the next step is to provide clear advice and safety protocols to guide your business travellers. They should know which steps to take in the event of travel disruption and emergency situations, with advice tailored to each destination.
Whether due to security risks or cancelled flights, it’s important to know exactly where your lone employees are during their business trips. Keep track of flight arrivals and hotel check-ins, ensuring that business travellers have arrived safely at their destination.
With real-time updates, you’ll be able to act fast to minimise disruption and provide support. Booking.com for Business has partnered with Traxo to offer real-time traveller location data, allowing you to see your team’s business travel bookings and follow itineraries accordingly.
In addition to business travel insurance to cover the cost of cancellations, you should also ensure that lone workers are covered with suitable medical insurance. Terms and coverage will vary by provider and country, and many personal insurance policies won’t cover injuries sustained during an international work trip.
Andrew Miller, VP of Partnerships for International SOS, stresses that it’s important to distinguish between insurance and assistance.
Business travel insurance protects finances. However, assistance services and a full travel risk management plan are essential for people protection and traveler safety.
Lone worker training should focus on risk recognition and prevention. Update training programmes according to information taken from your risk assessments, so that travellers are better equipped to avoid dangerous situations. Training should include things like cyber security protocols, cultural and legal issues they might encounter, how to avoid common travel scams, and where to turn in the event of an emergency.
When business travellers experience disruption during a solo work trip, they may need some additional support. This could include replacing a stolen phone or wallet or speaking to a counsellor to process their experiences.
There are numerous ways for companies to support their employees, but it’s also important for lone travellers to follow these best practices.
Consider individual risk: Are you fit to fly? Be sure to assess your own health and fitness level as part of pre-trip planning, visiting a medical professional to refill medication or receive vaccinations.
Exercise discretion: Whether travelling in a taxi or checking into a hotel, avoid sharing personal details or the fact that you’re travelling alone.
Avoid the ground floor: Ground-floor hotel rooms are easier to access by outside intruders. Choose accommodation on higher floors for reduced vulnerability to opportunistic theft.
Use provided safety features: Accommodation should come equipped with standard features like deadbolts and in-room safes. Use them where available and supplement with your own portable locks or alarm devices.
Review emergency procedures: Read your company’s safety briefings so you know who to contact when you need help.
Check government advisories: Before travel, review the latest government-provided information and local news sources for information about the political climate and potential for strikes or severe weather.
Technology plays a powerful role in protecting lone workers. It’s now easier than ever for companies and their travelling employees to maintain an open line of communication during work trips. Using tools like smartphone apps and GPS location tracking, businesses can respond immediately when lone workers need assistance.
When employees are travelling in low-signal areas, lone worker solutions include options like roaming SIMs that automatically switch between mobile networks to maintain steady connectivity. Additional lone working solutions include automated alarms triggered when lone workers fail to check in at an allotted time.
Booking.com for Business partners with International SOS to provide a comprehensive travel risk management solution to small and medium businesses. It blends International SOS’ medical and security assistance with access to insurance coverage to help keep lone travellers safe. With Workplace Resilience, you’ll be better positioned to respond in real-time to crises both large and small, while meeting ISO 31030 travel risk standards.
When you book travel through our free, all-in-one travel management solution, you’ll also be able to carefully compare business hotel locations and features. That means you can select accommodation with 24/7 reception desks in safe neighbourhoods. And a live traveller location map allows companies to follow traveller itineraries in real-time, for faster on-the-ground communication and support.
With personalised risk assessments, pre-trip training and on-demand support throughout the trip, lone workers will have the tools they need to successfully navigate any risks. Get started by integrating security tech into your company toolkit, from real-time itinerary sharing services to 24/7 communication apps. This gives solo employees a lifeline when and where they need it, so they can travel with confidence. As International SOS’s Andrew Miller states, ‘a travel risk programme is not meant to constrain people; it’s meant to empower people.'
Common types of lone workers include field workers who must travel between various sites to perform maintenance, repair, or installations. Sales representatives are another example of lone workers who travel frequently between client locations, as are travelling event coordinators, freelancers, and transport workers.
While the terms are often used interchangeably, they have a slightly different meaning. Risk management refers to the strategies a company uses to keep lone workers safe, while duty of care refers to a company’s responsibility to do so.
Lone worker monitoring describes the system or process put in place to keep track of employees working alone. The goal is to ensure their safety and well-being, using tools like check-in procedures, safety apps, and GPS-enabled devices.
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